Feeder arrangement for circular knitting machines



Dec. 31, 1963 R. SCHMIDT 5,

FEEDER ARRANGEMENT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Spt. 6, 1960 10Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 31, 1963 R. SCHMIDT 3,115,761

FEEDER ARRANGEMENT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES v Filed Sept. 6, 1960l0 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 31, 1963 RESCHMIDT 3,115,761

FEEDER ARRANGEMENT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 6, 1960 1OSheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 3

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R. SCHMIDT 3,115,761

FEEDER ARRANGEMENT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Dec. 31, 1963 10Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 6, 1960 INVENTOR. KMaM 24/41/00 UEEEEEEMWEEEWEEEW Dec. 31, 1963 R. SCHMIDT 3,115,761

FEEDER ARRANGEMENT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 6, 1960 10Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. E 5 [MW AW/W R. SCHMIDT 3,115,761

FEEDER ARRANGEMENT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Dec. 31, 1963 FiledSept. 6, 1960 I 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 Dec. 31, 1963 R. SCHMIDT 3,115,761

FEEDER ARRANGEMENT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 6,. 196010 Sheets-Sheet 7 WSW Dec. 31, 1963 R. SCHMIDT 3,115,761

FEEDER ARRANGEMENT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 6, 1960 10Sheets-Sheet 8 FFI'm i k W Mfr-m? lllilliii IHIIIHIIIVIIH liiiiliiiili26a'- ll INVENTOR.

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FEEDER ARRANGEMENT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 6, 1960 10Sheets-Sheet 10 WWWWW United States Patent 3,115,761 FEEDER ARRANGEMENTFOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Richard Schmidt, Stuttgart, Vaihingen,Germany, assignor to Franz Morat G.m.b.H., Stuttgart-Vaigingen, GermanyFiled Sept. 6, 1960, Ser. No. 54,155 Claims priority, applicationGermany Sept. 7, 1959 30 Claims. (Cl. 66-131) The present inventionrelates to a feeder arrangement for circular knitting machines, and moreparticularly to a feeder arrangement for supplying a yarn to the dialand cylinder needles of the machine during selectable knitting periods.

One object of the present invention is to provide a small yarn feedermember which is very light, and can be easily operated by remote controlrequiring very little power.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a feederarrangement by which a 1 x l rib culf knitted of two yarns can beknitted to an interlock fabric.

Another object of the. present invention is to provide a feederarrangement which can be operated by electromagnetic means. 1

Another object of the present invention is to provide feeder members ofsuch small size that several feeder members can be provided at each feedstation for supplying different yarns, which may be selected.

Another object of the present invention is to provide at each feedingstation of a circular knitting machine, a movable feeder member forsupplying a yarn in addition to a yarn supplied through a stationaryfeeder plate.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a feederarrangement by which a yarn is supplied to the dial and knitting needlesof a circular knitting machine so as to he knitted into a fabric in aselectable length, whereupon the yarn is cut olf and the feederarrangement held ready until it is again desired to supply a yarn to aknitted fabric.

With these objects in view, an embodiment of the pres ent inventioncomprises stationary cutting means, preferably mounted on a feeder platehaving a guide face, a feeder member having an eye for a yarn, supportmeans for supporting the feeder member for movement between a firstnormal position in which the eye is located at the level of the dialneedles of the knitting machine, a second position in which the eye islocated below the dial needles so that a yarn passing through the eye iscaught by the dial needles and a third position above the dial needlesfor holding the yarn against a cutting means and the guide surface ofthe feeder plate whereby the yarn is cut, and control means for thefeeder member, for example electromagnetic means mounted on the supportmeans. At the beginning of an operation, the feeder member has a cutoffyarn end in its eye, and is in its first position. The control meansmove the feeder member, whenever desired, from the first normal positionto the second position so that the yarn in the eye of the feeder memberis caught by the dial needles. This movement is short, and the feedermember is immediately moved back to the first position so that thecaught yarn is knitted by the dial needles and the cylinder needles.When knitting of the yarn is no longer desired, the control means shiftthe feeder member to the third position in which the yarn is heldagainst the cutting means, and is cut off. Thereupon, the feeder memberis moved back to its normal position holding a cutolf yarn end inreadiness for the next supply operation.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a clamping meansis provided on the support means for clamping the yarn in the eye of thefeeder member when the same is in the third position. In this manner,the yarn is tensioned between the portion knitted into the fabric by theneedles, and the clamping means and the eye so that the yarn is easilycut by the cutting means. In the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, in which the cutting means is mounted on a feeder plate, aclamping member is mounted on the feeder plate inter mediate the:cutting means and the feeder member, so that the thread end is clampedunder the clamping member after being cut off whereby the yarn issecurely held in the eye of the feeder member in the normal firstposition of the feeder member. During the knitting operation, when thefeeder member is also in its normal first position, the knitting needlesdraw the yarn through the eye, and pull the yarn end out of the clampingmember.

It is also possible to supply all yarns through movable feeder members,in which event all yarns can be varied in accordance with the patternand design.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich: 1

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a feeder arrangement according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the feeder arrangement shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the feeder arrangement shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the feeder arrangement taken on ime IV-IVin FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of thefeeder arrangement of the present invention;

FIG. 5a is a sectional view of the feeder support of the embodiment ofFIG. 5;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary \axial sectional view of a circular knittingmachine provided with the feeder arrangement illustrated in FIG. 5; and

FIGS. 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 7 7g, 7h and 7i, are fragmentary perspectiveviews illustrating successive operational positions of the feeder memberof the present invention during a knitting operation on the circularknitting machine shown in FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 6, acircular knitting machine has a needle cylinder 53' which rotates abouta vertical axis, and is provided with vertical grooves on the outercylindrical surface thereof. A set of cylinder needles 54 is guided inthese grooves, the needles having butts 54a guided in tracks of cammeans 55 which are fixed in a cam box 56.

The dial 58 rotates about the same axis, and has radial slots in whichthe dial needles 57 are guided. Dial needles 57 have butts 57a slidingin the track of the dial cam means 59 which are mounted on the dial camplate 50. During rotation of the needle cylinder 53-, and of dial 58,the cylinder needles and dial needles will be advanced and retracted ina selected sequence to perform a knitting operation. The dial andknitting needles are of the well known type provided with hooks andlatches.

Cams 55 and 59 have adjustable cam parts by which selected cylinderneedles and dial needles are moved to knit position. Electromagneticmeans 60 and 61 are provided for operating the dial cam means 5 9 forthis purpose, The cylinder needles 54 are controlled by conventionalpattern wheels.

A feeder arrangement according to the present invention is mounted ateach feed station which also has a set of electromagnetic control means6t 61 for the cams of the dial needles, and a pattern wheel for thecylinder needles. Micro switches are indicated in 6 at 62, 63 and 64 andare controlled by cams 62a, 63a, 640 which are mounted on the dial 58for turning movement therewith. Cam followers connect cams 62a, 63a, 64awith the switches 62, 63, 6 4 so that the same are operated in aselected sequence determined by the cams. Cams 62a, 63a, 64a areprovided in the opening through which the adjustment of the dial cams iseffected. The micro switches control electromagnetic means 60, 61 andelectromagnetic means 15 for the feeder member 2, as will be describedhereinafter.

At each feed station of the machine, a holding means 26 is secured tothe dial cam cap 50 and supports a feeder arrangement of the presentinvention, as better seen in FIG. 5. A shaft 25 is turnable in bearingsof holding means 26, and a member 34 is attached by a screw 25a to shaft25. Screw 25a passes through a slot in member 34, so that the positionof member 34 can be longitudinally adjusted on shaft 25. A feeder plate18 is secured by a screw 118 to the lower end of member 84, while theupper end of member 34 turnably supports a support means 3 3 which canbe clamped in adjusted positions by a screw 3 Support means 33 comprisestwo springy parts surrounding a tubular member 3, so that the same isclamped in support 33 when screw 33a is tightened. Tubular member 3 ispart of the support means of the movable feeder member 2 which has aneye 1 for yarn. A clamping member 22, and a cutting means 21 are mountedon the feeder plate 18. Clamping member 22 is a U-shaped wire secured byscrew 23 to a projecting part of the feeder plate which permits anadjustment of clamping member 22. The yoke portion of the U-shapedmember clamping member 22 is bent outwardly at 212a.

Feeder plate 18-has a pointed end trailing in direction of the movementof the needles and having a sharp edge in the region of the latches ofthe cylinder needles. At the thicker leading end, an eye 26 for a yarnmay be provided, which extends from the front face of feeder plate '18to the bottom face 13c. A downwardly inclined face 18z is locatedadjacent bottom face 180, and the cutting edge 2111 of cutting means 21is located in this region and extends transverse to a fiat guide face1811. A concave guide face 18d extends from the flat guide face 18htoward the pointed end of feeder plate 18. Clamping member 22 is locatedon the flat guide face 18h adjacent a shoulder between guide face 1 811and the face 180 on the leading end 1812 of feeder member 18.

' As is best seen in FIG. 6, the rear face of feeder plate 18 is locatedin a plane tangential to the circle of the cylinder needles 54, and thefeeder member 2 is located in a radial plane passing through the aXis ofrotation of the dial 58 and the cylinder 53, and is inclined at an acuteangle to the feeder plate 18. The support arrangement for the feedermember 2 is best seen in FIG. a. Tubular member 3, which is clamped insupport 33, is closed at its upper end by an end member 80 provided witha bearing bore in which the rod-shaped feeder member 2 is slidablymounted. The other end of tubular member 3 is closed by a conical member30 in which a sleeve 31 is slidably mounted, sleeve 31 being arrested bya screw 32 in adjusted positions. A projection 14 is provided on thefeeder member 2, and engaged by flanged bushings '10 and 11. A pair ofsprings 12 and 13 abuts end member 80 and sleeve 31, as well as bushingsand '11, so that feeder member 2 is held in a normal position in whichthe eye 1 is substantially located at the level of the bottom face 180of the feeder plate and on the level of the dial needles 57.

Projecting part 14 is provided with a longitudinal slot 140 in which apin 104 is located for preventing turning of feeder member 2.Electromagnetic means including two coils are located in tubular member3 and surround the projecting portion 14, which is made of a manetizable material so that energization of one of the coils ofelectromagnetic means 15 will shift feeder member 2 upwards, whileenergization-of the other coil will shift feeder member 2 downwards outof its normal position into which it is urged by springs 12 and 13, andheld by arresting means 81.

A wire 51 is connected to electromagnetic means 15 and has at the endthereof a plug 52 which is plugged into a corresponding socket on themachine, as best seen in FIG. 6.

The lower end of feeder member 2 is somewhat thicker as shown at 2a soas .to be slidably guided in the tubular sleeve 31. The end of feedermember 2 is reduced adjacent the eye 1, and a conical part 2b isattached thereto by screw 20 so that the surface of feeder member 2flares between eye 1 and the end of the feeder member.

When feeder member 2 is moved to its upper position by energization ofthe electromagnetic means 15, the eye '1 moves into the bore of thetubular sleeve 31 until the conical part 211 prevents further movement.A yarn passing through eye 1 will be clamped in this position betweenthe end of tubular clamping means 3 1 and the end portion of feedermember 2.

Referring again to FIG. 5, it will be seen that clamping member 22 islocated between feeder member 2. and cutting means 21, although, ofcourse, feeder member 2 is transversely spaced from the plane in whichthe fiat surface lfih, clamping member 22, and cutting means 2-1 arelocated. The operation of the feeding arrangement of the presentinvention illustrated in FIGS. 5, 5a and 6, will be best understood withreference to FIGS. 7a to 7i which illustrate different positions assumedby the feeder member during a knitting operation. Cylinder 53 and dial538 are only schematically indicated in FIGS. 7a to 7i, and the needlesare not shown for the sake 'of clarity, except where required for anunderstanding of the operation.

FIG. 7a shows feeder member 2 in a first position into which it is urgedby springs 12 and 13. In this normal position, the eye 1 is locatedsubstantially at the level of the dial needles. 'In FIG. 7a, the yarn 28passes through eye 1, is clamped on flat face 1811 by clamping member22, and has a free end which may slide on cylinder 53, or hang down. 'Itis also possible that this free end is cut off by cutting means 21 dueto a preceding operation, as will be explained hereinafter. When it isdesired to supply yarn 28 to the needles, the electromagnetic means 15is energized, for example by micro switch 62 under control of cam 62a,so that feeder member 2 is shifted to a lower second position in whichthe eye 1 is located below the level of the dial needles, as shown inFIG. 7b.

Since feeder member 2 is stationary, and dial 58 moves with dial needles'57 in direction of the arrow 570 in FIG. 70, the dial needles '57 passfeeder member 2 and a dial needle 57 will catch thread 28 since the sameextends across the plane of the dial needles from the clamping member 22to the eye 1 of feeder member 2.

As the dial 58 turns further, successive dial needles 57 catch thethread between dial needle 57 and feeder member 2, as shown in FIGS. 7dand 7e. Between the position shown in FIG. 70 and the position shown inFIG. 7e, the respective coil of electromagnetic means 15 have beendeenergized, .so that feeder member 2 returns to its normal position inwhich eye 1 is located at the level of the dial needles.

The yarn 28 is thus knitted by needles 5% and 57, and it is possible'toknit the fabric only of yarn 28, or to supply another yarn through theeye 20 in the feeder plate 13.

As the dial moves on with the needles 5'7, yarn 28 is drawn through eye1, and finally the yarn end, which was held under clamping member 22, ispulled out of clamping member 22 so that the position of FIG. 7 isobtained. The knitting of yarn 23 may now be continued in the normalposition of feeder member 2 as shown '2? this operation, electromagneticmeans is deenergized, and the springs return feeder member 2 to itsnormal position with the cut off yarn end clamped under clamping member22 as shown in broken lines in FIG. 2. The device is now in a positionof readiness.

It is again desired to knit yarn 28 into the fabric, the other coil ofthe electromagnetic means 15 is energized so that feeder member 21 ismoved to its lower position in which eye 1' is in the position lb, asindicated in bnoken lines in FIG. 2. The yarn portion between clampingmember 22 and the lowered eye 1b extends across the dial needles,substantially as explained with reference to FIGS. 7b and 70, so thatyarn 28 is caught by the needles which knit yarn 28 while spring 13returns feeder member 2 to its normal position in which yarn 28 isguided by the bottom face 180' behind projection 18f, as shown in FIG.2. During the knitting operation, the yarn is drawn through eye '1, andthe clamped yarn end is pulled out of the clamping member 22 asdescribed with reference to FIG. 7

In the illustrated embodiments, the electromagnetic means 15 constitutesoperating means for the feeder member, and is controlled by remotecontrol means including cams on the dial '58, and micro switchescontrolled by cam followers cooperating with the control cams, as shownin FIG. 6. Instead of electromagnetic means, hydraulic operating meansmay be provided including a piston in tubular member 3. The piston isshifted by fluid supplied under control of control valves which may beoperated by cams corresponding to the arrange rent of the micro switches6-2 to 64 and the cams 62a to 64a. The operating means may also becontrolled by electro-hydnaulic program control means in a mannerexplained in the textbook Hydraulische Antriebe, A. Duerr and O.Wachter, page 185. A mechanically control-led control valve for thehydraulic operating means is described in the same textbook on page 117.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofcircular knitting machines differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in afeeder arrangement for circular knitting machines having dial needlesand cylinder needles, it is not intended to be limited to the detailsshown, since various modifications and structural changes may be madewithout departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a set of cylinderneedles; a set of dial needles; cutting means; a feeder member having apart for guiding a yarn; support means for supporting said feeder memberfor movement between a first normal position in which said part islocated in the region of said dial needles, a second position in whichsaid part is located relative to said dial needles so that a yarn guidedby said part is caught by said dial needles, and a third position forholding the yarn at said cutting means so that the yarn is cut; andcontrol means for moving said feeder member holding a cutoff yarn fromsaid first normal position to said second position so that the yarn iscaught by said dial needles, back to said first position so that theyarn is knitted, to said third position so that the yarn is cut, andback to said first position for holding the cut yarn end.

2. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a set of cylinderneedles; a set of dial needles; a feeder plate located in the workingregion of said cylinder and dial needles and having a guide surface;cutting means mounted on said feeder plate; a feeder member having aneye for a yarn and being located opposite said guide surface; supportmeans for supporting said feeder member for movement between a firstnormal position in which said eye is located substantially at the levelof said dial needles, a second position in which said eye is locatedbelow the level of said dial needles so that a yarn passing through saideye is caught by said dial needles, and a third position above the levelof said dial needles for holding the yarn on said guide surface of saidfeeder plate and against said cutting means whereby the yarn is cut; andcontrol means for moving said feeder member holding a cutoff yarn fromsaid first normal position to said second position so that the yarn iscaught by said dial needles, back to said first position so that theyarn is knitted, to said third position so that the yarn is cut, andback to said first position for holding the cut yarn end.

3. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a set of cylinderneedles; a set of dial needles; a feeder plate located in the workingregion of said cylinder and dial needles and having a guide surface;cutting means mounted on said feeder plate; a feeder member having aneye for a yarn and being located opposite said guide surface; supportmeans for supporting said feeder member for movement between a firstnormal position in which said eye is located substantially at the levelof said dial needles, a second position in which said eye is locatedbelow the level of said dial needles so that a yarn passing through saideye is caught by said dial needles, and a third position above the levelof said dial needles for holding the yarn on said guide surface of saidfeeder plate and against said cutting means whereby the yarn is cut,said support means including a clamping means cooperating with saidfeeder member in said third position for clamping the yarn in the eye ofsaid feeder member so that the yarn is tensioned on said guide surfaceof said feeder plate between said cutting means and clamping meansduring the cut; and control means for moving said feeder member holdinga cutoff yarn from said first normal position to said second position sothat the yarn is caught by said dial needles, back to said firstposition so that the yarn is knitted, to said third position so that theyarn is cut, and back to said first position for holding the cut yarnend.

4. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a set of cylinderneedles; a set of dial needles; a feeder plate located in the workingregion of said cylinder and dial needles and having a guide surface;cutting means mounted on said feeder plate; a feeder member having aneye for a yarn and being located opposite said guide surface; a clampingmember mounted on said feeder plate intermediate said cutting means andsaid feeder member; support means for supporting said feeder member formovement between a first normal position in which said eye is locatedsubstantially at the level of said dial needles, a second position inwhich said eye is located below the level of said dial needles so that ayarn passing through said eye is caught by said dial needles, and athird position above the level of said dial needles for holding the yarnunder said clamping member on said guide surface of said feeder plateand against said cutting means whereby the yarn is cut; and controlmeans for moving said feeder member holding a cutoff yarn from saidfirst normal position to said second position so that the yarn is caughtby said dial needles, back to said first position so that the yarn isknitted, to said third position so that the yarn is cut and has the endthereof clamped by said clamping member on said feeder plate, and backto said first position for holding the cut and clamped yarn end.

5. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a set of cylinderneedles; a set of dial needles; a feeder plate located in the workingregion of said cylinder and dial needles and having a guide surface;cutting means mounted on said feeder plate; a feeder member having aneye for a yarn and being located opposite said guide surface; a clampingmember mounted on said feeder plate intermediate said cutting means andsaid feeder member; support means for supporting said feeder member formovement between a first normal position in which said eye is locatedsubstantially at the level of said dial needles, a second position inwhich said eye is located below the level of said dial needles, and athird position above the level of said dial needles for holding the yarnunder said clamping member on said guide surface of said feeder plateand against said cutting means whereby the yarn is cut, said supportmeans including a clamping means cooperating with said feeder member insaid third position for clamping the yarn in the eye of said feedermember so that the yarn is tensioned on said guide surface of saidfeeder plate under said clamping member between said cutting means andclamping means during the cut; and control means for moving said feedermember holding a cutoff yarn from said first normal position to saidsecond position so that the yarn is caught by said dial needles, back tosaid first position so that the yarn is knitted, to said third positionso that the yarn is cut and has the end thereof clamped by said clampingmember on said feeder plate, and back to said first position for holdingthe cut and clamped yarn end.

6. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a set of cylinderneedles; a set of dial needles; a feeder plate located in the workingregion of said cylinder and dial needles and having a guide surface andan eye for supplying a yarn to said cylinder and dial needles; cuttingmeans mounted on said feeder plate; a feeder member having an eye for ayarn and being located opposite said guide surface; a clamping membermounted on said feeder plate intermediate said cutting means and saidfeeder member; support means for supporting said feeder member formovement between a first normal position in which said eye is locatedsubstantially at the level of said dial needles, a second position inwhich said eye is located below the level of said dial needles so that ayarn passing through said eye is caught by said dial needles, and athird position above the level of said dial needles for holding the yarnunder said clamping member on said guide surface of said feeder plateand against said cutting means whereby the yarn is cut; and controlmeans for moving said feeder member holding a cutoff yarn from saidfirst normal position to said second position so that the yarn is caughtby said dial needles, back to said first position so that the yarn isknitted, to said third position so that the yarn is cut and has the endthereof clamped by said clamping member on said feeder plate, and backto said first position for holding the cut and clamped yarn end.

7. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a set of cylinderneedles; a set of dial needles; a feeder plate located in the workingregion of said cylinder and dial needles and having a guide surface anda bottom face formed with a projection adjacent said guide surface;cutting means mounted on said feeder plate; a feeder member having aneye for a yarn and being located opposite said guide surface; a clampingmember mounted on said feeder plate intermediate said cutting means andsaid feeder member and above said projection on said bottom face of saidfeeder plate; support means for supporting said feeder member formovement between a first normal position in which said eye is locatedsubstantially at the level of said dial needles, a second position inwhich said eye is located below the level of said dial needles so that ayarn passing through said eye is caught by said dial needles, and athird position above the level of said dial needles for holding the yarnunder said clamping member on said guide surface of said feeder plateand against said cutting means whereby the yarn is cut; and controlmeans for moving said feeder member holding a cutoff yarn from saidfirst normal position to said second position so that the yarn is caughtby said dial needles, back to said first position so that the yarn isguided on said bottom face behind said projection while being knitted,to said third position so that the yarn slips over said projection ontosaid guide face under said clamping member and is cut and has the endthereof clamped by said clamping member on said feeder plate, and backto said first position for holding the cut and clamped yarn end.

8. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a set of cylinderneedles; a set of dial needles; a feeder plate located in the workingregion of said cylinder and dial needles and having a guide surface anda bottom face formed with a projection adjacent said guide surface;cutting means mounted on said feeder plate; a feeder member having aneye for a yarn and being located opposite said guide surface; a clampingmember mounted on said feeder plate intermediate said cutting means andsaid feeder member and above said projection on said bottom face of saidfeeder plate; support means for supporting said feeder member formovement between a first normal position in which said eye is locatedsubstantially at the level of said dial needles and at the level of saidbottom face of said feeder plate, a second position in which said eye islocated below the level of said dial needles so that a yarn passingthrough said eye is caught by said dial needles, and a third positionabove the level of said dial needles for holding the yarn under saidclamping member on said guide surface of said feeder plate and againstsaid cutting means whereby the yarn is cut, said support means includinga clamping means cooperating with said feeder member in said thirdposition for clamping the yarn in the eye of said feeder member so thatthe yarn is tensioned on said guide surface of said feeder plate betweensaid cutting means and clamping means during the cut; and control meansfor moving said feeder member holding a cutoff yarn from said firstnormal position to said second position so that the yarn is caught bysaid dial needles, back to said first position so that the yarn isguided on said bottom face behind said projection while being knitted,to said third position so that the yarn slips over said projection ontosaid guide face under said clamping member and is cut and has the endthereof clamped by said clamping member on said feeder plate, and backto said first position for holding the cut and clamped yarn end.

9. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a set of cylinderneedles; a set of dial needles; a feeder plate located in the workingregion of said cylinder and dial needles and having a guide surface;cutting means mounted on said feeder plate; a feeder member having aneye for a yarn and being located opposite said guide surface; a clampingmember mounted on said feeder plate intermediate said cutting means andsaid feeder member; support means mounted on said feeder plate forsupporting said feeder member for movement between a first normalposition in which said eye is located substantially at the level of saiddial needles, a second position in which said eye is located below thelevel of said dial needles so that a yarn passing through said eye iscaught by said dial needles, and a third position above the level ofsaid dial needles for holding the yarn under said clamping member onsaid guide surface of said feeder plate and against said cutting meanswhereby the yarn is cut; and control means for moving said feeder memberholding a cutoff yarn from said first normal position to said secondposition so that the yarn is caught by said dial needles, back to saidfirst position so that the yarn is knitted, to said third position sothat the yarn is cut and has the end thereof clamped by said clampingmember on said feeder plate, and back to said first position forholdingthe cut and clamped yarn end.

10. An arrangement as set forth in claim 9' wherein said feeder platehas an upright extension projecting upwardly from the same; and whereinsaid support means is movably mounted on said extension for adjustingmovement toward and away from, and parallel to said guide surface; andmeans for securing said support means on said extension in adjustedpositions whereby the position of said eye of said feeder member in saidfirst normal position is determined.

11. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a set of cylinderneedles; a set of dial needles; a dial cam cap; a feeder plate locatedin the working region of said cylinder and dial needles and having aguide surface; cutting means mounted on said feeder plate; a feedermember having an eye for a yarn and being located opposite said guidesurface; a clamping member mounted on said feeder plate intermediatesaid cutting means and said feeder member; support means mounted on saidfeeder plate for supporting said feeder member for movement between afirst normal position in which said eye is located substantially at thelevel of said dial needles, a second position in which said eye islocated below the level of said dial needles so that a yarn passingthrough said eye is caught by said dial needles, and a third positionabove the level of said dial needles for holding the yarn under saidclamping member on said guide surface of said feeder plate and againstsaid cutting means whereby the yarn is cut; holder means for supportingsaid feeder plate with said support means and feeder member on said dialcam plate movable between a normal operative position, and a positionretracted from the working region of said cylinder and dial needles; andcontrol means for moving said feeder member holding a cutoff yarn fromsaid first normal position to said second position so that the yarn iscaught by said dial needles, back to said first position so that theyarn is knitted, to said third position so that the yarn is cut and hasthe end thereof clamped by said clamping member on said feeder plate,and back to said first position for holding the cut and clamped yarnend.

12. An arrangement as set forth in claim 11 wherein said holder meansincludes a bearing means secured to said dial cam cap, a horizontalshaft turnably mounted in said bearing means, and means for securingsaid feeder plate to said shaft for turning movement with the samebetween said normal and retracted positions.

13. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a set of cylinderneedles; a set of dial needles; a feeder plate located in the workingregion of said cylinder and dial needles and having a guide surface;cutting means mounted on said feeder plate; a plurality of feedermembers, each feeder member having an eye for a yarn and being locatedopposite said guide surface; a clamping member mounted on said feederplate intermediate said cutting means and said feeder member; supportmeans for supporting each of said feeder members for movement between afirst normal position in which said eye is located substantially at thelevel of said dial needles, said eyes of said feeder members beinglocated at the same point when said feeder members are in said firstposition, a second position in which said eye is located below the levelof said dial needles so that a yarn passing through said eye is caughtby said dial needles, and a third position above the level of said dialneedless for holding the yarn under said clamping member on said guidesurface of said feeder plate and against said cutting means whereby theyarn is cut; and control means for moving selected feeder membersholding a cutoff yarn from said first normal position to said secondposition so that the yarn is caught by said dial needles, back to saidfirst position so that the yarn is knitted, to said third position sothat the yarn is cut and has the end thereof clamped by said clampingmember on said feeder plate, and back to said first position for holdingthe cut and clamped yarn end.

14. An arrangement as set forth in claim 4 wherein said feeder plate hasa pointed end trailing in direction of the movement of said needles anda sharp edge in the region of said pointed end, wherein said guidesurface is concave in the region of said pointed end, has a flat portionin the region of said clamping member, and has a downwardly inclinedsurface portion in the region of its other end, said cutting means beinga cutting blade located in the region of said downwardly inclinedsurface portion and having a cutting edge closely spaced from saidclamping member and extending transversely through the plane of saidflat portion of said guide surface so that a yarn held by said clampingmember on said fiat portion is guided onto said cutting edge.

15. An arrangement as set forth in claim 14 wherein said clamping memberis a substantially U-shaped wire member having leg portions resilientlyabutting said fiat portion of said guide surface, and an outwardly bentyoke portion located at the level of the bottom surface of said feederplate.

16. An arrangement as set forth in claim 15 wherein said feeder platehas between said other end thereof and said fiat portion of said guidesurface, a shoulder, one leg of said wire member being located adjacentsaid shoulder.

17. An arrangement as set forth in claim 15 and including means foradjustably mounting said wire member on said feeder plate.

18. An arrangement as set forth in claim 14 wherein said feeder platehas a fiat substantially horizontal bottom face at said other endthereof merging into said downwardly inclined surface, and a projectionon said bottom face adjacent said fiat portion of said guide surfacelocated in the region of said clamping member so that a yarn may beguided on said bottom face behind said proiection and over saiddownwardly inclined surface, said cutting edge being located above saidprojection and said bottom face.

19. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a set of cylinderneedles; a set of dial needles; a feeder plate located in the workingregion of said cylinder and dial needles and having a substantiallyvertical guide surface; cutting means mounted on said feeder plate; afeeder member of elongated shape having at one end thereof an eye for ayarn and being located opposite said guide surface; a clamping membermounted on said feeder plate intermediate said cutting means and saidfeeder member; support means for supporting said feeder member in aposition inclined to said guide face and located in a radial plane withrespect to said dial needles, and for movement between a first normalposition in which said eye is located substantially at the level of saiddial needles, a second position in which said eye is located below thelevel of said dial needles so that a yarn passing through said eye iscaught by said dial needles, and a third position above the level ofsaid dial needles for holding the yarn under said clamping member onsaid guide surface of saidfeeder plate and against said cutting meanswhereby the yarn is cut; and control means for moving said feeder memberholding a cutoff yarn from said first normal position to said secondposition so that the yarn is caught by said dial needles, back to saidfirst position so that the yarn is knitted, to said third position sothat the yarn is cut and has the end thereof clamped by said clampingmember on said feeder plate, and back to said first position for holdingthe cut and clamped yarn end.

20. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a set of cylinderneedles; a set of dial needles; a feeder plate located in the workingregion of said cylinder and dial needles and having a guide surface;cutting means mounted on said feeder plate; a feeder member having aneye for a yarn and being located opposite said guide surface; a clampingmember mounted on said feeder plate intermediate said cutting means andsaid feeder member; support means for supporting said feeder member formovement between a first normal position in which said eye is locatedsubstantially at the level of said dial needles, a second position inwhich said eye is located below the level of said dial needles so that ayam passing through said eye is caught by said dial needles, and a thirdposition above the level of said dial needles for holding the yarn undersaid clamping member on said guide surface of said feeder plate andagainst said cutting means whereby the yarn is cut; and control meansincluding remote controlled operating means mounted on said supportmeans for moving said feeder member holding a cutoff yarn from saidfirst normal position to said second position so that the yarn is caughtby said dial needles, back to said first position so that the yarn isknitted, to said third position so that the yarn is cut and has the endthereof clamped by said clamping member on said feeder plate, and backto said first position for holding the cut and clamped yarn end.

21. An arrangement as set forth in claim 20 wherein said support meansincludes a tubular member, a pair of end members at the ends of saidtubular member having aligned bearing bores; and wherein said feedermember has a rod-shaped portion passing through said bearing bores; andwherein said operating means is located in said tubular member.

22. An arrangement as set forth in claim 21 and including a projectingportion on said rod-shaped portion; and springs abutting said projectingportion and said end members, respectively, for holding said rod-shapedportion in a position in which said feeder member is in said firstnormal position so that said feeder member tends to return to said firstnormal position.

23. An arrangement as set forth in claim 20 wherein said operating meansis an electromagnetic means located in said tubuiar member; and whereinsaid feeder member has a core portion located in said tubular member inthe region of said electromagnetic means so that the feeder member isshifted when said electromagnetic means is energized.

24. An arrangement as set forth in claim 20 wherein said support meansinclude a tubular member, and a pair of end members formed with bearingbores; wherein said operating means is a pair of electromagnetic coils;wherein said feeder member has a rod-shaped portion slidably guided insaid bearing bores for longitudinal movement, and an electromagneticcore member on said rod-shaped portion located Within saidelectromagnetic coils so as to be shifted by the same in oppositedirections for moving said feeder member to said second and thirdpositions, respecitvely; and a pair of springs abutting said core memberand said end members, respectively, for holding said feeder member insaid first normal position.

25. An arrangement as set forth in claim 24 and including a tubularclamping means mounted on said support means surrounding and slidablyguiding said rodshaped portion of said feeder member in the region ofsaid eye; and wherein said eye is at least partly located in saidtubular clamping means in said third position of said feeder memberwhereby a yarn passing through said 14 eye is clamped between saidtubular clamping means and said feeder member.

26. An arrangement as set forth in claim 20 and including a tubularclamping means mounted on said support means surrounding and slidablyguiding said feeder member in the region of said eye; and wherein saideye is at least partly located in said tubular clamping means in saidthird position of said feeder member whereby a yarn passing through saideye is clamped between said tubular clamping means and said feedermember.

27. An arrangement as set forth in claim 26 wherein said feeder memberhas said eye spaced a short distance from one end thereof, said feedermember having a flaring surface between said eye and said one end forclamping the yarn against said tubular clamping means.

28. An arrangement as set forth in claim 27 wherein said feeder memberhas a rod-shaped part, and a conical part secured to said one endadjacent said eye and providing said flaring surface.

29. An arrangement as set forth in claim 26 and including means foradjusting the position of said tubular clamping means on said supportmeans and along said feeder member.

30. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a set ofcylinder'needles; a set of dial needles; means for rotating said sets ofneedles about an axis of notation; a feeder plate located in the Workingregion of said cylinder and dial needles and having a guide surface;cutting means mounted on said feeder plate; a feeder member having aneye for a yarn and being located opposite said guide surface; a clampingmember mounted on said feeder plate intermediate said cutting means andsaid feeder member; support means for supporting said feeder member formovement in a radial plane through said axis of rotation and in adirection inclined at an acute angle to said axis of rotation between afirst normal position in which said eye is located substantially at thelevel of said dial needles, a second position in which said eye islocated below the level of said dial needles and closer spaced in radialdirection from said cylinder needles than in said first position so thata yarn passing through said eye is caught by said dial needles, and athird position above the level of said dial needles in which said eye isfarther spaced in radial direction fnom said cylinder needles than insaid first position for holding the yarn under said clamping member onsaid guide surface of said feeder plate and against said cutting meanswhereby the yarn is cut; and control means for moving said feeder memberholding a cutoff yarn from said first normal position to said secondposition so that the yarn is caught by said dial needles, back to saidfirst position so that the yarn is knitted, to said third position sothat the yarn is cut and has the end thereof clamped by said clampingmember on said feeder plate, and back to said first position for holdingthe cut and clamped yarn end.

No references cited.

1. IN A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE, IN COMBINATION, A SET OF CYLINDERNEEDLES; A SET OF DIAL NEEDLES; CUTTING MEANS; A FEEDER MEMBER HAVING APART FOR GUIDING A YARN; SUPPORT MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID FEEDER MEMBERFOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A FIRST NORMAL POSITION IN WHICH SAID PART ISLOCATED IN THE REGION OF SAID DIAL NEEDLES, A SECOND POSITION IN WHICHSAID PART IS LOCATED RELATIVE TO SAID DIAL NEEDLES SO THAT A YARN GUIDEDBY SAID PART IS CAUGHT BY SAID DIAL NEEDLES, AND A THIRD POSITION FORHOLDING THE YARN AT SAID CUTTING MEANS SO THAT THE YARN IS CUT; ANDCONTROL MEANS FOR MOVING SAID FEEDER MEMBER HOLDING A CUTOFF YARN FROMSAID FIRST NORMAL POSITION TO SAID SECOND POSITION SO THAT THE YARN ISCAUGHT BY SAID DIAL NEEDLES, BACK TO SAID FIRST POSITION SO THAT THEYARN IS KNITTED, TO SAID THIRD POSITION SO THAT THE YARN IS CUT, ANDBACK TO SAID FIRST POSITION FOR HOLDING THE CUT YARN END.